Packing Pandemonium

So the days between my Japanese adventure and I are slowly diminishing into nothing. It has been a very busy month for me and this weekend was no exception. One of my closest friends from University came down from Leeds for one day just to see me and say hello and goodbye for now. It was a very kind visit for her to make given it was probably expensive and exhausting for her but it meant the world.

She gave me my birthday present which was something very sweet. I have a pandora bracelet which over the past year my friends and family have gifted me charms for. It was important for me to have a piece of everyone very close to my heart on my wrist at all times. Now this may sound a little soppy bur it meant a lot, especially as it started on my 21st birthday.  Pandora charms are not cheap and I would never expect or ask any of my friends for charms because it costs too much. But this year my best friend gave me two of the most beautiful charms imaginable as a present and good luck going forward.  And this friend down from Leeds did the same. The charm she gave me was very symbolic of our friendship and I was so touched it nearly made me cry. She also made me a photo collage to take with me to Japan which was lovely and finally some emergency chocolate:

The amount of effort she made was astounding.  Thank you so much for it all love, you know who you are, and sorry to say the emergency chocolate is already gone!

Then, today was my little brothers' 20th birthday.  And like a mad thing he completed the triathlon (yes on his birthday) in 2 hours 55. We have been celebrating today ans scheming our last trip together which is a local theme park complete with adrenaline junkie roller coasters.

Updates on life aside,  I have really started to panic this week. Its not that im doubting my decision to leave everything behind because itll be my biggest adventure yet, but the whole process is quite overwhelming.  I have been wrestling constantly with mt suitcase over the past week or so and contemplating just how the heck I am going to fit my life into 23kgs. Im a little on the curvy side for Japanese sizing and get a bit funny about tight outfits so clothing was the priorty. Im very fair skinned so suncream and aftersun followed. Along with a miscellany of toiletries and a bag full of 'what ifs'. I almost think it would have been easier as a guy (my flatmate at uni went to spain for a year and packed virtually nothing) but I am starting to think that is more attributed to his laissez faire personality than guys in general.

Then there is the omiyage debate, the resource preparations and the endless pretravel paperwork. Tax, shipping, customs declaration. You name it, ive filled it in. And a workload awaits me at school which although I am very excited about, I am worried I wont perform to Japanese standard, although I will certainly try. 

Im sure the majority of the group B JETs are having the same panic/excitement fluctuations and the same suitcase scenario so best of luck to everyone with it all.

Now only if I could believe that myself....

9 Days to go!

Oh my goodness. When did this happen?

So it's been a long time since I've actually updated because my life seems to have gone into complete overdrive! I finally have a destination and a school as to where I'm headed, and my whole life is in upheaval in an attempt to pack! I am headed to the sunny Kurume-shi in Fukuoka-ken, Southern Kyushu. I'll be going to a Senior High School with a University focus. It couldn't be any different from the school I have just come from - North London, rough, with children more wild than I have ever seen (although admittedly 'children' is a loose term. I was teaching sixth formers and at 5"2, they were more often than not taller than me. ) Even the idea that I won't have to fight with the children tooth and nail to get them to write their names on a paper is an intriguing prospect! I will miss them though, and the teachers there too. Some of the children might have been a pain at the best of times, but most of them had hearts of gold. One of them even cried when I told her I was leaving ;( But I know they are going to make it, get to Uni and create an amazing life for themselves. Even if they were the geeky side of Ghetto.

The last month has been more than a blur - I have been cramming in so much stuff it's insane, seeing people and doing things before I go. My work leaving do was on the day before my birthday, and we all went to dirty martini to have a few drinks which was really good fun. It ended up in a really fun bar in Oxford Circus (Gem bar, anyone know it?) with a bit of silly dancing and drunkeness - great night out. My birthday itself I was blown away by; my best friend went out of her way to make it a special evening. I was sung happy birthday by the 'Master of Mischief'

He certainly looks the part!

(seriously, he even has a card to this effect) and had a truly Hollywood-esque evening, including dancing to buskers, and riding a carousel like a five year old!  

I had a blast at Pre-Orientation in London, where it was amazing to get to meet all of the UK JETs who had been on the forums and otherwise, the Embassy reception was incredible too (although I wish I'd picked up on the Champagne Ninja's earlier! They managed to refill my glass three or four times before I even noticed what was going on!) Thanks for a great time guys, it was really reassuring to see that so many people were likeminded and in the same boat about packing, travel insurance and other bits and bobs. I went on the Language Course too which was really helpful for basic conversational Japanese, and also quite a relief - perhaps I am not as terrible as I think! Although admittedly that might be a little optimistic. The fluent Japanese volunteers were really helpful, and if my skill was terrible, it was definitely useful to know that by having the right cheerful mannerisms it was easy enough to get by, even if neither party quite understood what was being said.

I've just had dinner with another of my closest friends as well (so many goodbyes!) and we had a real laugh and an overall great time. I got a little misty eyed saying goodbye to her because I'm going to miss her terribly. I am a little worried that I'm going to miss the people I'm closest with a lot, but I guess it's just one of those things you adapt to, and besides! I'm hoping to meet as many new people as possible out there! I'm sure that all the excitement will keep me occupied.

Still, 9 days to go. The fact that I've only had one real panicky moment up until this point is probably fairly good news! :) It does feel like the amount of stuff that I have to get done before I leave is mounting up into this pile of postit notes that I can only really hack at, but never get through. Insurance, electronics, converters, phone contracts out there, all sorts of different things are plaguing me, combined with the fact my body is trying to convert to Japanese time already, meaning I'm not sleeping well-.- thanks body, you are useless.

9 days. My predecessor seems lovely, my school supervisor seems very friendly and even though I am swinging between excitement and panic, it's just a new adventure ahead!